Public works pact reached after a year

EVERGREEN PARK — After a year of negotiations, the village's 28 full-time public works employees last week ratified a 5-year union contract that includes average yearly pay increases of 3.5 percent.

The Village Board approved the contract April 17.

"Both parties, I feel, negotiated in good faith and with what we thought was a good agreement for both sides," said Mayor Jim Sexton.

Jack Hurley, business agent for Local 726 and International Brotherhood of Teamsters, said he was satisfied with the contract, even though the union had hoped to shorten the number of years it takes for new employees to move up in the department.

"The four people who voted against it were probably newer people. ... It actually takes five years to come through the ranks to higher levels and they were hoping to shorten that term. Unfortunately, we weren't able to accomplish that with this contract," Hurley said.